Bone clamp



Jan. 29, J, R. SIEBRANDT 2,583,896

BONE CLAMP Filed Sept. 6, 1949 Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT 1ori-ICE John R. Siebrandt, deceased, late of Kansas City, Mo.,by Elizabeth Siebrandt, executrix, Kansas City, Mo., assigner toSiebrandt, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of- MissouriApplication September 6, 1949, Serial lNo. 114,210

i 6 Claims. (Cl. 12B-346) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in bone clamps, and has particular reference to vbone clampsfor use in maintaining fragments ofv fractured bones in alignment.

' `In one method of setting broken bones. the bone fragments are broughtinto proper alignment and a plate is positioned against the bonebridging the fracture. Said plate is provided with holes, andcorresponding holes are drilled in the bone to receive screws, wherebysaid .bone is rigidly secured to said plate to maintain the bonefragments in proper alignment during the healing process. Holding thebone fragments in proper relation to each other and the plate in properrelation to the bone while the holes in the bone are drilled and thescrews are set presents a considerable problem. The principal object ofthe present invention is, therefore, the provision of a bone clampadapted to hold the fragments of a broken bone in proper alignment, andhaving means for positioning a plate firmly against said .bone inbridging relation to the fracture.

' Another object is the provision of a bone clamp having bone grippingmembers so adjustable as to accommodate themselves readily to theirregular contours of a bone clamped therebetween.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease andconvenience of operation, and adaptability to be used in conjunctionwith any type of plate.

' With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to thedrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bone clamp embodying the presentinvention shown in operative relation `to a broken bone, with partsbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line III-III of Fig. 1, with the bone leftin elevation.

vFig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the upper -jaw and relatedparts, taken on line IV-IVof Fig. 2. I

' Like reference numerals apply to similar parte throughout the severalviews, and the numeral 2 applies to a bone clamp embodying the presentinvention and including va pair of elongated bodyimembers 4 'and 6 ofsubstantially S-shape pivotally joined in crossed relation intermediatetheir ends by a pivot bolt 8. Said body members'ex-tend rearwardly fromsaid pivotto form I0 and i2, and extend forwardly from said pivot toform respectively spaced apart jaw members tlitandv4 l Thus the clamp isof the usual pliers type, wherein jaws i2 and I4 are forced t0;-

E gether when hand grips III and l2 areA manuof said jaw, is a groove I8extending transversely the entire width of said jaw. Carried in each ofsaid grooves 'is a clamping member 20 having the form of an elongatedrectangular bar disposed transversely to the associated jaw andextending outwardly from said jaw in both directions, as shown in Figs.2 and 3. As best shown in Fig. 4. each of said clamp bars is looselysecured to its .associated jaw member by a shouldel-fed rivet 22 xedrigidly in the clamp bar subu stantially at the center thereof. Saidrivet extends outwardly through a loosely fitting hole 24 providedtherefor in the jaw member, and is provided at its outer end with anenlarged head 2B carried loosely in an enlarged countersunk .l recess 28formed therefor in the outer surface of saidI jaw member. It will benoted, as best shown in Fig. 3, that the base of groove i8 is inclinedaway from clamp bar in each direction from rivet 22, as at 30,saidinclines extending from the longitudinal center line of the jawmember to the transverse edges of said jaw member. Due to theseinclines, and due to the loose t of rivet 22 in said jaw member, clampbar 20 is permitted a limited degree of longitudinal tilting movement.Both clamp bars 2U are mounted in like manner,` and are thus free toaccommodate themselves to theirregular contours of a bone 32 clampedtherebetween.` Still further adjustability of said clamp bars isprovided by making grooves I8 slightly wider than the clamp bars,whereby said clamp bars are Apermitted a limited swiveling movement.Each of clamp bars 20 is provided along each of the edges of its innerface with a plurality of inwardly projecting teeth or points 34, saidteeth being adapted to Ibite into bone 32 to insure thatl the fragmentsof the bone will not move relative to the clamp bars.

Thus, assuming that bone 32 is fractured at 36, the fragments of thebone are brought into `proper alignment as shown in Fig. 8 by means notshown, and bone clamp 2 is affixed thereto Aso that clamp bars 20 bridgethe fracture, holding the bone fragments rmly in position, said clampbars automatically pivoting as previously iii) described to conform tothe contours of the bone. Said clamp is secured in its clamping positionby an elongated flat screw 38 pivotally secured at one end to hand ri I2m respectively the usual spaced apart hand grips l g p by eans of pm an'and extending through a slot 42 lformed in hand grip I9. A knurled nut44 is carried on the extended end portion of said screw, and may bebrought against the outer surface of hand grip I0 to secure the clamp initsclamping position.

The inner surface o ffupperjaw member I6 is recessed as at 46 to providea space between said of bone 32 longitudinally thereof and bridge thebone fracture 36. Said plate may be of any suita able type, and usuallycomprises a. plain metallic.

bar having holes B formed. therethrough in lonai gitudinally spacedrelation for receiving screws'.

' Said holes may be countersunk as showni A set screw 52 having aknurled head 5l is threaded through jaw member I6, and is adapted toVcne tact plate 4B at its innerv end to hold said plate firmly in.position against the bone.v screw is disposed angularlytotheplanerofclamp bars so as to be--substan-tiallyradiallydisposedrelative to boned?. g With the plate 118. vthus held firmly in position,holes. for .receiving screws may be drilled in the bone correspondinglto holes 59 of the plate, using the holesin the vplate as guides. Afterthe screws, not shown, have been inserted and drawn up to fixv the4plate rigidly to the bone, the clamp 2 may be removed and the -iieshwound repaired. Y

Thus a bone clamp has been produced which is extremely simple and whichwill perform very efficiently its intended function o holding the bonefragments and the `splint plate firmly in proper relation while holesare drilled in the bone and thejplate -is xed to the bone. It willaccommodate itself to the contour of the bone, and is adjustable to gripbones. in a vsubstantial Vrange of sizes. It iscontemplated that clampsci different sizes may be built for the treatment of bones still largeror smaller than .can be treated by a single clamp. `While a specificembodiment of my invention Ahas `been disclosed, it is apparent thatmany minor changes ofeonstruction and operation could lbe made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bone clamp-comprising a pair of elongated body members pivotally'connected intermediate their ends, the adjacent end portions of :saidbody members respectively forming hand `grips andxjawmembers, anelongated clamp 'bar-1 se"- cured transversely to each of said jawmembers. said clamp bars beingadapted to :grip a bone therebetween andto. bridge a fracture in Asaid bone, and a set screw carried by one ofsaid jaw members Vand adjustable .to hold a plate iirmly against saidbone. v

2. A bone clampcomprising a` pair of elongated body members .pivotallyconnetced intermediate 'their ends, the adjacent end portions of saidbody members respectviely forming hand grips and jaw members, anelongated clamp Ybarvsecured transversely to each of said jaw members,Vsaid clamp bars being adapted to grip a 'bonel therebetweenand tobridge airacture in said bone, one. of said jaw members being recessedadjacent the as'so'ciatedV clamp 'baivtofprov-ide a space between 'said'jaw member 'and said bone whereby a plate 'may b'e'lai'd againstrsaidybone Ito bridge the fracture thereof, 'and aset screw vcarried by saidrecessed j" member 'and adjustable t0 lhold said plate firmly againstsaid bone.

3. A bone clamp 'comprising a pair of elongated body members pivo'tally`"connected 'intermediate their ends, the adjacent end portions ofsaid-body members vre'specti'vel'yV forming hand. grips andjaw-inembers,. .elongated ciampbar .secured transversely" to. .each-.o"'f saidiav members.; ,said clamp 'bars "be'sirig'v adapted" to' gripa bone 'therebetween-and vto bridge. a fracture in said bone. and a setscrew carried by oneoffsaid jaw members and adjustable to hold a platefirmly against said bone, said set screw being disposed angularly to theplane of said clamp bars and substantially radially relative to saidbone.

4. -A bone clamp comprising a pair of elongated body members* pivotallyconnected intermediate their ends, the. adjacentend portions of saidbody members respectively forming hand grips and jaw members, anelongated clamp bar secured loosely to each of said jaw members forsubstantially universal pivoting movement relative thereto, said clampbars being adapted to grip a bone therebetween and to. bridge a fracturein said bone, means for securing said. clamp 'in the .bone grippingposition, and meansV carried. by one of. said jaw-members andoperableindependently.l of the movement of `said jaws for holding aplate rmly against said bone. i j

5. A bone clamp comprising a pair of elongated body members pivotallyconnected intermediate theirends, the adjacent end portions of said bodymembers respectively forming hand gri-ps. andk jaw members, an elongatedclamp bar secured transversely' to each of said jaw members, for limitedswiveling and longitudinal .pivoting movement relative'to said jawmembers, said clamp bars having teeth formed on their adjacent surfaceswhereby a bone maybe tightly gripped therebetween with said clampA barsbridging a fracture in bone, meansfor securing said clam-p in the bonegripping position, and a set screw carried by one of said ^jaw' membersand adjustable to holda plate rmly against said .bone` A bone clampcomprising a pair of elongated members pivotallyioinedintermediate'their'` ends, the adjacent end portions of said bodymembersgrespectively -forming hand grips and jaw members, an elongatedclampbar secured transversely to each of said jaw members for limitedsw'iveling and longitudinal pivoting movelment relativethereto, theadjacent surfaces of said clamp bars being provided withjprojecting,

teeth whereby a bone may. be tightly gripped with said clamp Ybarsbridging a fracture in .said bone, releasable 1means for securingsaidclamp in thebone gripping position, one o f Vsaid jaw. Vmembershaving a recess `formed therein adjacent 'the .associated clamp bartoprovide espace between said jawv member and said bone whereby a platemaybe laid against said bone to bridge y REFERENCES CITED 'The followingreferences are of record in the 'iilev of this patent:

UNITED STATES` PATENTS Name I 'D'ate Rogers i Feb.fl, 1949 'OTHERvREFERENCES General Catalog, V.-Mueller & Co. 4(1938)Y page Number y2,460,479

